To help you get funding for your garden project, we're keeping track of every youth and community garden grant we come across.  Also check out these resources:

• Fundraising - Combine literacy education with raising money for your garden
• Educator Awards & Recognition
• Student Contests & Scholarships

Become a GardenABCs Partner

Just like a garden, our community is GROWING! Learn how to become an official partner, advertiser, and more!  Contact us.
 

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Dates for grant deadlines are noted in bold.


Grant Application Advice: Native Plant Gardens for Schools and Urban Areas
Betsey Landis © 2009.  Landis shares how to avoid basic pitfalls of the grant      application process, especially grants with very specialized requirements for    funding.  Great advice for any garden project seeking funding.

Great American Gardeners Award 
The American Horticultural recognizes individuals and institutions that have made significant contributions to American horticulture.

2012 Youth Garden Grant 
Youth Garden Grants recognize outstanding youth-focused garden programs throughout the country. This year 100 recipients will receive a $500 gift card from our The Home Depot and educational materials from the National Gardening Association. The top 5 winners will also receive a $500 gift certificate to Gardening with Kids.

American Academy of Dermatology's Shade Structure Program 
Grants in the amount of $8,000 each will be awarded to nonprofits or public schools to purchase permanent structures that provide shade and ultraviolet (UV) ray protection for outdoor areas. The AAD also provides a permanent sign to be displayed near the shade structure that promotes the importance of sun safety. The AAD receives support for this program from Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products Company.

American Honda Foundation
Funding for youth education, specifically in the areas of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, the environment, job training and literacy.

America the Beautiful Free Seeds - While Supplies Last
Grants of free seeds to community groups striving to better our world through gardening. Nominal shipping charge applies.

Annie's Grants for Gardens ~ Feb 29
We offer a limited number of small grants to community gardens, school gardens and other educational programs that connect children directly to real food. These funds can be used to buy gardening tools, seeds or other needed supplies.If you would like to apply, please read our complete guidelines and fill out an online application.

Arizona School Garden Grant - Western Growers Foundation 
Each school chosen to participate will receive $1,250 to purchase garden and teacher supplies to create a school garden on their campus to be used for nutrition education. The schools will also recieve their choice of a raised bed kit, or a portable container parden kit.

Best Buy Community Grants 
Best Buy teams across the U.S.  select non-profit organizations that provide positive experiences to help teens to excel in school and develop life and leadership skills. Non-profits located within 50 miles of a Best Buy store or Regional Distribution Center may apply. Grants will average $4,000-$6,000 and will not exceed $10,000.

Bing's Our School Needs Contest
Bing, the search engine from Microsoft, is having a contest and wants to know what your school needs. The contest is a fun, interactive campaign designed to encourage students, teachers and administrators to come together for a united cause: improving schools. Bing will award a $250,000, divided among four schools - $50,000 to three first prize winners and one $100,000 grand prize winner.

Brita Filter For Good Eco Challenge
Enter to win one of fifty $1,000 grants to make your school more sustainable. From kindergarten to college, students, teachers and schools are discovering new ways to make our planet more sustainable. From turning the energy created from a simple workout into electricity to power a campus building or creating a campus guide to finding organic and local foods, opportunities to create a greener school and community are limitless.

Provides 24 grants for $1,200 each to schools throughout California 

Captain Planet Foundation 
The Captain Planet Foundation (CPF) annually funds projects involving children and young adults. Recipients of these awards are often schools and non-profits that propose projects promoting understanding of environmental issues. These projects must include children and young adults (aged 6-18) and focus on hands-on involvement, interaction and cooperation within the group, development of planning and problem solving skills, and adult supervision. Generally, the monetary sum of awarded grants is between $250-2,500.

Chefs Move to Schools Grants 
The Chefs Move to Schools Grant provides funds for culinary professionals to help our children eat right by teaching them about food, nutrition and cooking. Funds can be used from garden to table: culinary professionals may seek funding for any program that promotes health and wellness in schools. For example, the grant may be used to plant a garden, teach a class, promote or create a wellness program for students or parents or assist in creating a school curriculum that focuses on healthy eating. In order to qualify the grant applicant must have the support of the school principal and, in some cases, additional school personnel.

Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program (CFP)          
USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES)

Communities Take Root ~ Open
The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation (FTPF) is an award-winning international nonprofit charity dedicated to planting fruitful trees and plants to alleviate world hunger, combat global warming, strengthen communities, and improve the surrounding air, soil, and water. FTPF and Dreyer's Fruit Bars are planting orchards across the country in a collaborative program called Communities Take Root (CTR). Through this exciting program, communities compete in a nation-wide vote to win a complete community orchard. Applications are now open for 2012. The first 100 qualified applicants will be in the running to win a free orchard, including orchard design, arborist expertise, and a fun community planting event. Orchard recipients also receive a free community workshop on planting, pruning and caring for fruit trees.

CVS Caremark Community Grants 
The CVS Caremark Community Grants program awards funds to nonprofit organizations for programs targeting children with disabilities; programs focusing on health and rehabilitation services; and public schools promoting a greater level of inclusion in student activities and extracurricular programs, and initiatives that give greater access to physical movement and play. Qualifying organizations are eligible for grants of up to $5,000.

Disney's Planet Challenge 
Teachers who submit a hands-on project request for up to $500 in materials focused on benefiting the environment (water conservation and watershed protection, recycling, composting, restoring/creating community gardens, etc.) are eligible to receive full funding if they complete three steps of registration on the Disney Planet Challenge website.

Donald Samull Classroom Herb Garden Grant 
The Herb Society of America will select 4 classrooms to receive a $200 Donald Samull Classroom Grant to establish an outdoor herb garden. The funds may be used for soil, plant trays, containers, youth-sized tools, and more. Eligible recipients include teachers of grades 3-6 who have at least 15 students in their class.

DoSomething.org Increase Your Green School Competition 
For projects that green a school -- from bricks-and-mortar and schoolyard improvements to implementing environmental education, performing civic action and achieving policy reform.

Earth Savers Club Grants ~ Open
Youth-led school, community, and faith-based groups with an environmental focus can sign up to become a partner of Greening Forward's Earth Savers Club Program. (It is free to become a partner.) Partners are granted access to a number of resources, including mini grants ($100-500), social activism training, mentorships, and the Earth Saver Award.

Environmental Excellence Awards

EPA Environmental Education Grants 
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is accepting grant applications for $1.9 million in funding for environmental education projects and programs that promote environmental stewardship and help develop knowledgeable and responsible students, teachers and citizens. EPA expects to award at least 20 grants nationwide ranging between $15,000 and $100,000. 

Fiskars Project Orange Thumb 
Grants for gardens and/or gardening projects geared toward community involvement, neighborhood beautification, sustainable agriculture and/or horticultural education.

Fruit Tree 101 ~ Open
The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation and Stretch Island Fruit Co. are giving fruit trees to K-12 parents who submit their children's school.

Fuel Up to Play 60 
Funding is available to K-12 schools enrolled in Fuel Up to Play 60. The competitive, nationwide funding program can help your school jumpstart and sustain healthy nutrition and physical activity improvements.

Gardener's Supply Garden Crusader Awards 
Winners (no age limit) in the areas of garden education, feeding the hungry, urban renewal and restoration receive cash and supplies. 

Green Prize in Public Education 
The National Environmental Education Foundation, with major support from the NEA Foundation and in partnership with EarthEcho International, will award $10,000 to a K-12 public school that has most successfully implemented an innovative, sustainable and replicable school-wide greening effort that has involved and benefitted its students. Two merit awards of $5,000 each will also be given to schools that demonstrate this kind of success.

Green Thumb Challenge 
Green Education Foundation and Gardener’s Supply Company are calling on schools and youth groups to submit chronicles of their garden projects in a race to win a $5,000 prize. The award is designed to support the continued sustainability of an exceptional youth garden program that has demonstrated success, and has impacted the lives of kids and their community.

Golden Carrot Awards
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is seeking nominations for its Golden Carrot Awards for outstanding school food service professionals who have developed and implemented a healthful and successful school lunch program. The grand prize winner will receive $1,500 and a $3,500 check made out to her or his school or school district. Up to four additional awards will be given, with $500 going to the food service professional and $500 to benefit the school food service program.

Subaru Healthy Sprouts Awards 
How can we expect the next generation to care for the environment if they feel disconnected from it and lack understanding about the impact of their actions on our health and food supply, both locally and globally? One solution: Get them in the garden! The grant award recognizes and supports youth gardening programs focused on teaching about our environment, nutrition and hunger issues in the United States..

Herb Society of America Grant for Educators 
The Grant for Educators challenges individuals, groups or small businesses to develop and deliver learning experiences to the public. The grant recognizes innovative projects that enhance herbal education in school systems, in communities, or in any public forum (electronic or person-to-person). It requires learning goals and a mechanism to measure the educational outcomes.

Home Depot Community Impact Grants Program 
The Home Depot Community Impact Grants Program provides support to nonprofit organizations, public schools, and public service agencies in the U.S. that are using the power of volunteers to improve the physical health of their communities. Proposals for the following community improvement activities will be considered: repairs, refurbishments, and modifications to low-income and/or transitional housing or community facilities (schools, community centers, senior centers, etc.); weatherizing or increasing energy efficiency of low-income and/or transitional housing or community facilities; planting trees or community gardens and/or landscaping community facilities; and development of community parks or green spaces. Grants of up to $5,000 are made in the form of The Home Depot gift cards for the purchase of tools, materials, or services.

Illinois DNR Biodiversity Field Trip Grants ~ Jan 31
Grants to take your students on a field trip to study some aspect of Illinois' natural or cultural biodiversity.

ING Unsung Heros Awards - Apr 30, 2012
Sponsored by ING Direct, the ING Unsung Heroes K-12 Education Awards will select 100 teachers (based on their creative, innovative classroom projects and unique educational programs) to receive $2,000. Of the 100 finalists, three will be selected for additional financial awards, ranging from $5,000 to $25,000.

Intel Schools of Distinction Awards in Math and Science - Feb 23, 2012
Every year, Intel honors U.S. schools demonstrating excellence in math and science education through innovative teaching and learning environments. To be considered as an Intel School of Distinction, schools must develop an environment and curricula that meet or exceed benchmarks put forth by national mathematics and science content standards.

It’s All About the Fruits and Veggies! ~ Feb 15
Jamba Juice and the National Gardening Association are pleased to offer the It’s All About the Fruits and Veggies grant program to provide schools with $500 in gardening supplies, curriculum, soil amendments and plants to help create engaging nutrition and gardening experiences. Observing and exploring fruit and vegetable production gives a deeper understanding and appreciation for these essential foods in our diet. Recipients will be selected based on plans to promote nutrition education and more.

Katie's Krops Vegetable Garden Grant 
Grant to start vegetable gardens to feed people in need. Grantees will be awarded materials necessary to create a garden (up to $400), support from Katie’s Krops, and a digital camera to document the garden and the harvest. Applications for all types of vegetable gardens will be considered such as a container garden for city residents or a school, church or neighborhood garden. Applicants must be between the ages of 9 and 16 (as of February 11, 2011).

Kroger Co. Foundation - Open
Feed-the-hungry programs in communities where Kroger employees live and work

Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education Grant Program 
The Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education Grant Program gives small monetary grants to schools, nature centers, and other non-profit and not-for-profit places of learning in the United States, including houses of worship, with a site available for a stewardship project.

Love Your Veggies Grant 
The makers of Hidden Valley® Salad Dressings are now accepting applications for the 2009-10 Love Your Veggies™ grant program. Withsupport from its partner the School Nutrition Foundation (SNF), thegrant program will once again seek to help schools provide innovativeprograms to increase consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables in thelunchroom.

Levitt Foundation 
Children and environment - New York City / Long Island

Lowe's Toolbox for Education Outdoor Classroom Grant 
Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation (LCEF) has helped more than 1,000 schools across the country create reading gardens, build playgrounds and implement other improvement projects that help strengthen their schools and their communities.

Mantis Awards for Community & Youth Gardens ~ Mar 1
Each year, Mantis presents the Mantis Awards to charitable and educational garden projects that enhance the quality of life in their host communities. NGA selects 25 outstanding applicants to receive Mantis tiller/cultivators. Any nonprofit garden program may apply. In the past, winners have included schools, churches, correctional facilities, parks departments, youth camps, community gardens, and many others. These are groups turning slim resources into bountiful gardens with far-reaching benefits, from increasing their community’s access to fresh nutritious foods to educating the public about the importance of gardening in our nation’s history.

Melinda Gray Ardia Environmental Foundation 
Helping facilitate the development and implementation of holistic environmental curricula that incorporate basic ecological principles and field environmental activities within a primary or secondary school setting

Midwest Garden Grant ~ Apr 1
This grant is open to schools and organizations with garden programming in any of the following states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Ten winners will be chosen.

National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) Action Communities for Health, Innovation, and Environmental Change (ACHIEVE) Proposals
This program seeks to strengthen community coalitions to develop an action plan that addresses comprehensive chronic disease prevention through policy, systems, and environmental change strategies. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, increasing farmers markets, fresh fruits and vegetables, and community gardens for residents; and increasing healthy food choices in restaurants, grocery stores, worksites, and schools.

Nature Hills Nursery Green America Awards 
The Nature Hills Nursery Green America Awards will be presented to groups and organizations that are making a difference in their communities. Eligible applicants include community groups who are committed to improving their local environment by planting trees, bushes, and shrubs to make their communities a better place to live. One grand prize winner will receive $2,500 in plant materials. The first place winner will receive $1,500 in plant materials, and the second place winner $1,000 in plant materials. The plant materials can contain trees, fruit trees, bushes and shrubs, perennials, and vegetable seeds.

NEA Foundation Learning & Leadership Grant 
Funds educator participation in high-quality professional development experiences or college study

NEA's Green Across America 
Grants of up to $1,000 are available to help you implement your innovative education program, activity, lesson or event to excite students about going green, caring for the earth and creating a sustainable future.

NEA Foundation Student Achievement Grants 
For projects that engage students in critical thinking and problem solving that deepen their knowledge of standards-based subject matter and improve habits of inquiry, self-directed learning, and critical reflection.

North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Farmer Rancher Grants 
SARE is a competitive grants program providing grants to researchers, agricultural educators, farmers and ranchers, and students in the United States.

North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Youth Grants 
For on-farm research, demonstration, or education projects by youth ages 8-18. Research and demonstration projects are for hands-on efforts to explore Sustainable Agriculture issues and practices. Education projects can involve teaching others about Sustainable Agriculture or attending a Sustainable Agriculture conference, workshop, or camp. $400 maximum.

Oppenheimer Family Foundation Teacher Incentive Grant Chicago